Don't Leave Me, My Turnabout
by Rainbow Fruit Loop
Summary: REWRITTEN. When Phoenix admits his feelings to Miles, he is both delighted and shocked. Too scared to return the words, he lets Phoenix go. Then, an incredibly tragic accident occurs, leaving Miles alone, full of regret, and absolutely devastated. Phoenix/Miles. Character death. One-shot.


Disclaimer: I still don't own Phoenix Wright, though I'm definitely working on it. Credit goes to Capcom._  
_

Author's Note: Well, as most of you probably know by now, this is the rewritten version of 'Don't Leave Me, My Turnabout', originally posted on my old account, Cookie Blossom. When I posted this the first time, I was delighted with the response it received. Please, guys, review this fic like you did last time; the reason I rewrote it was for you (:

~Rainbow Fruit Loop xx

* * *

_~Don't Leave Me, My Turnabout~_

_-Knock, knock, knock-_

Miles Edgeworth looked up from the report he was writing, a scowl on his face. He needed to get his report done by nine o'clock this evening, and he had a meeting at three. He was busy - didn't anyone respect that?

He got up out of his chair, and opened the door with an unnecessary force, and was rather surprised to see a nervous, red-faced defence attorney standing at his door.

_Phoenix? What does he want from me?_

"Good morning, Wright." Miles said, heaving a silent sigh of annoyance.

"Uh, hey, Edgeworth!" Phoenix said uncertainly, his tone making him sound almost _surprised _that this particular office happened to be Miles'.

"Do make it quick. I have work to do." Miles announced, gesturing inwards.

"Uh, sure." Phoenix nodded, and stepped into Miles' office, wincing lightly as the door slammed shut.

"What do you want, Wright?" Miles asked sharply, trying desperately not to follow the action as Phoenix licked his lips.

_Goddamned attorney and his stupidly adorable face._

It wasn't anything new to Miles that he had fallen head-over-heels in love with his best friend, his rival, his opposite. He had long since stopped trying to deny the feelings of inexplicable happiness and shy nervousness he felt around the defence attorney.

It had been an arduous task trying not to let Phoenix know of his sudden affection. He didn't _like _snapping at Phoenix anymore, or insulting his intelligence and choice of clothing, but he had to make sure that Phoenix never found out the truth.

Miles didn't know what he would do if he was exposed. He had always been one to keep to himself, to hide his feelings from the world around him, and the thought of being left out in the open terrified him.

"Well, I just came because I wanted to tell you something." Phoenix revealed, a hesitant, lop-sided smile creeping across his face.

Silence.

_What do you want to tell me, Phoenix?_

"Well?" Miles asked, pressing a finger to his temples. "I don't have all day; spit it out."

"It's just, I don't really, uh, know where to start." Phoenix said, absentmindedly fiddling with the end of his suit sleeve. "It's quite a big thing, see…"

"Wright, if I find out that you've committed some sort of criminal offence in my name, then you will be murdered." Miles said, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"It's nothing like that!" Phoenix assured him quickly. "It's… I mean, I think that I've… uh… Don't hate me, Edgeworth, but I've fallen in love with you." Phoenix finished in a rush, face turning deep crimson.

Time stood still as Miles' eyes widened.

_Did he just say…?_

_Christ, please say he's not just joking. Wright, please say you _do _love me._

Miles willed his voice to work; willed himself to utter the words, "I love you too", but his brain seemed to have frozen.

He wanted so desperately to take the oh-so-significant step forwards and connect their bodies. He wanted wet lips on a warm mouth, fingers clinging desperately to silky soft hair, and clumsy hands tracing lines on trembling, sweaty, naked bodies, leaving scorching trails of passionate fire in their wake.

_Just tell him the truth. It's such an easy thing to say. "I love you too" - four syllables. Just say it._

But then Miles realized… he was scared. He hadn't told anyone that he had loved them since his father had been killed; not once. He had never told Manfred von Karma that he loved him as a child, for Miles had _never _loved that man, and, moreover, feelings were not discussed in the von Karma household.

Miles stood, frozen in both mind and body, in the middle of his office, unblinking steel eyes trained on Phoenix, whose own blue orbs were glistening with unshed tears.

"Wright… I…" Miles trailed off, a dull thudding deep in his stomach.

"I'm sorry, Miles. I know you don't feel the same, but I wanted you to know. Just in case you…" he broke off to swallow harshly, "I've loved you ever since you left the note 'Prosecutor Miles Edgeworth chooses death'. I… Don't hate me. I'm sorry."

_Don't apologize, Phoenix._

With that, Phoenix turned to the door and disappeared out into the corridor, leaving Miles with an arm outstretched.

"I love you too…" he finally choked out.

But Phoenix wasn't coming back.

* * *

_~Two Weeks Later~_

Miles sat at his desk, lips pressed tightly together, arms folded defensively against his chest. He couldn't work - the stupid, frustrating, absolutely beautiful defence attorney was on his mind _again_.

Since that day, two weeks ago, when Phoenix had admitted his feelings, the two men hadn't spoken a great deal. Understandably, Phoenix had kept his distance, becoming quiet and detached whenever the two were forced to talk.

_He's lost his happy-go-lucky charisma. It's my fault. Why am I such a coward?_

Nonetheless, Miles couldn't bring himself to tell Phoenix the truth, and break this awful silence that they had fallen into. Miles believed that, once he told Phoenix how he felt, the walls he had put up to protect himself from being hurt would crumble to the ground, leaving hum vulnerable to other people's opinions.

Though he trusted Phoenix not to break his heart, he couldn't be sure about the other people in the world. They were all cowards - hiding their fears behind a barricade of immature taunts and harsh remarks, dishonest smiles and heartbreaking actions.

On the other hand, Miles knew that, if he could just bring himself to say 'I love you', then his life would be so much happier. He _knew _how Phoenix felt, and he _knew _exactly what Phoenix's response would be. He _knew _that he was ready for a relationship - two weeks of pondering had, at least, made this decision for him - so what did he have to lose? Why was he holding back?

_This side of life really is perplexing. Perhaps it was simpler when I believed that love was a waste of time._

_Though, really, I'm miserable. I don't want to be alone anymore. I don't want to be apart from Phoenix. I'm in love with him. I need to tell him. He told me how he felt, knowing that he could lose everything, so why am I so reluctant to tell him the truth, knowing that I will lose nothing?_

_He deserves to know. He deserves to be happy._

Miles inhaled sharply, his decision made.

He was going to tell Phoenix how he felt.

* * *

Miles worked solidly for three hours, before deciding to take an early lunch break to visit Phoenix.

He was just putting his computer into 'Sleep' mode, when his door burst open, and Detective Gumshoe came racing in, his face red and breathing uneven.

"Detective, do I have to remind you of my strict view on knocking?" Miles asked, exasperated at the detective's awful memory.

"I'm sorry, sir, but-" Gumshoe broke off to inhale deeply, "It's really important!"

"Do make it quick." Miles instructed, frustrated that he was being held up from talking to Phoenix. "I have somewhere I need to be."

"I don't think you're going to be going anywhere when I tell you what's happened." Gumshoe mumbled glumly. "You see, it's about Mr. Wright."

"Well, I was just about to visit him, so I'm sure that he can tell me what's so important. Unless…" Miles paused for a minute, the lines in his forehead deepening as he thought. "Has he been arrested again?"

Gumshoe shifted awkwardly, and fidgeted with the buttons on his scruffy coat. "No, no sir. I wish. You see… he's been in a car accident."

Miles' heart stopped, his fists automatically curling into fists. "Is he in the hospital? I'll get my coat. Tell me, how bad is he?"

Miles stood up and walked to where his coat was hanging on the door handle. Gumshoe's silence was utterly unnerving, and Miles felt that, perhaps, he was missing out on something big. His heart was now beating a thousand times a minute, and his stomach felt bottomless.

_Christ, Phoenix, you utter moron. What have you gone and done to yourself?_

"Sir, uh, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but… Mr. Wright was hit by a car that was going too fast for the speed limit. The driver was heavily intoxicated. It was a hit and run. Mr. Wright… he didn't make it. He died almost on impact."

Miles stopped, and, in that single second, felt his world shatter.

_I… no. Phoenix… you can't be gone. Please say that you're not gone. Please tell me this is all a lie. You can't… just vanish. Surely you know how much you mean to me? No, Phoenix. Not now. Please no. Don't leave me._

_We could have been great, you and I. Please say that I didn't ruin it. Please say you're still here. Please say that you're waiting._

When Miles finally spoke up, his voice was surprisingly calm.

"Can I see his body?"

Gumshoe frowned, his face crumpling as he saw just how broken Miles really was. "No, I don't think so, sir. It's… not pretty."

Before Miles knew what was happening, he felt the soft carpet of his office beneath him. His fingers were pressed to his eyes, pushing firmly as though that could stop the tears. Said fingers were dripping wet - when had he started crying? When would he _stop?_

Gumshoe knelt down next Miles, pain evident in his eyes. "I'm sorry, pal. I know you were close friends. I really wish I could say something to make it better."

"You can tell me if you caught the man who hit him." Miles said after a few minutes, wiping futilely at the tears streaming down his face. "Because I will make sure that… _scum _gets the punishment they deserve."

Gumshoe shook his head, and scratched at his jaw. "No, we haven't. There were no witnesses, and, as I said, it was a hit and run. We're working on it, though, we really are. Everyone at the precinct is doing their hardest, because we all liked Mr. Wright."

Miles realized, belatedly, that it was becoming harder and harder to breathe. His breaths were coming out in short, shallow pants; the noise emitted not unlike those of someone having a panic attack. It was as though someone had taken an axe to his insides; shattering everything important. He felt raw - unable to quite believe the situation, but knowing, inside, that even Phoenix wouldn't survive such a violent accident.

He felt cold. The warm glow in his chest that Phoenix had set on fire was dimming and fading - no longer a happy blaze, but a vanishing echo of the life he could have had, if only he had been brave enough.

_Please come back, Phoenix. I was going to be brave. I was going to open my heart to you. I was going to make you see just how much you meant to me._

_Phoenix… I'm sorry._

"I didn't…" Miles started, his voice wretched and strained. "I didn't get to tell him the truth. That I… That I loved him too."

Gumshoe's face scrunched up in pain at the sight of his broken partner, boss, friend. "I'm sure he knew it, pal. He noticed everything, especially you."

Miles buried his face in his hands, and felt the hot tears spill down his face uncontrollably.

_Did you know, Phoenix? Were you simply waiting for me to be brave? I don't think so. _

"I'd like to be alone, please, detective."

Gumshoe got off the carpet, and gave an incredibly weak smile. "I'm sorry, sir, I really am. If there's anything I can do to help…" The offer of companionship in such a challenging time was left hanging in the air, and Miles glanced up gratefully.

"…Thank you."

With a slight click of the door, Gumshoe was gone, and Miles was alone.

Miles had never considered himself to be an emotional man, but it seemed as though all of the feelings that he had been bottling up over the past fifteen years had exploded out of him. He curled his knees up to his chest, and clutched pathetically at his upper arms.

All he could think about was the fact that Phoenix had died not knowing how he felt. He had died thinking he was alone.

_Phoenix… You died thinking that you were unloved by me. You died alone. Maybe… Maybe if I had told you how I felt all those weeks ago, then perhaps you would have been with me today. Perhaps you wouldn't have been anywhere near the road._

_Phoenix… If I had been brave back then, then maybe you would still be alive now. _

_It's all my fault. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. _

Miles cried, on his office floor, for the next hour. He cried for Phoenix, who had died thinking he was alone. He cried for Maya who was left without a best friend because of his cowardly actions. He cried for young Pearl; an innocent child who was left without someone to teach her the magic of life. He cried for everyone he could think of, but never once did he cry for himself.

_It's all my fault. I don't deserve anyone's sympathy._

* * *

Phoenix's funeral was five days after his accident. It was a modest gathering; black and white with sad music and a beautiful coffin. It was a humble congregation; honest and emotional, just like Phoenix.

Miles took a deep breath, and closed his grey eyes for the briefest of moments. He had to be strong, and he knew it. He opened his eyes, and walked into the church, keeping his eyes cast downwards.

_Phoenix… You would have wanted me to be brave._

Miles had promised himself that he wasn't going to cry anymore. Surely, the amount of time he had spent in pain, wishing and regretting, was too much for anyone sane to cope with? Though, perhaps Miles was losing his sanity. Perhaps that part of him had died along side Phoenix.

_I won't cry anymore, I promise._

Miles looked around the church, and his eyes fell upon Maya, who was standing alone in the corner of the room. She had her face in her hands; her shoulders shaking with her silent sobs.

_No one should be alone in their grief._

Slowly and quietly, Miles made his way over to Maya. He placed his hand on her slim shoulder, and pulled her into a gentle hug. She fell into him, her sobs intensifying as she fisted her hands into his shirt.

"I'm so sorry, Maya." he murmured as she sobbed into his chest. He could feel tears forming in the corner of his eyes, and he knew that he wasn't going to be able to keep his promise.

It hurt to see another person as broken as he was. Here was Maya; unashamed in her grief, open and honest in her feelings. Miles wondered briefly what Phoenix would think of him now - it was him, after all, who had caused Maya this pain.

"How are you holding up?" Miles asked as Maya's tears calmed down.

"…You'd think that I would be used to the pain of losing someone by now." Maya murmured into his shirt. "But it still hurts. It hurts too much. I want someone to make it stop."

Maya's heartbroken words were all it took for the tears to start falling.

Maya looked up, slightly startled at the emotion scrawled across Miles' face. "Oh, Edgeworth, I hadn't realized you were so upset about Nick's… passing." she admitted quietly, reaching up gently to wipe away his tears. "I would have come to see you if I had known… It's what Nick would have wanted me to do."

Miles was silent, and he tried to force himself to stop crying. Breaking down in front of Phoenix's best friend seemed… _selfish, _in a way.

"He really did care about you a lot, Edgeworth." Maya reminded him gently. "He told me about what happened that day a few weeks ago. I think… I don't think I've ever seen him so broken."

Miles brought a shaking hand up to cover his eyes, feeling utterly guilty. The tears were streaming down his face now, and, again, he wondered when everything would _stop._

"I'm so sorry!" Maya hastily apologized, wiping at her own tears. "I wasn't trying to make you feel worse… It's just… talking about Nick makes me feel better."

"I understand." Miles finally managed to choke out. He didn't like hearing his own voice like this; too thick and entirely rough; alien. He didn't like listening to the proof that he was breaking. "But you see… It's my fault that Phoenix is dead. I could have prevented it. But I didn't."

Maya's face was horrified. "What do you mean?"

"When he told me how he felt, I… I loved him back too. But I was too afraid to tell him the truth; too afraid to return his words. It seems stupid, I know, because I didn't have anything to lose, when he told me knowing that he could have ruined everything. I knew I was hurting him by not telling him how I felt, but I was scared."

Maya's gaze softened, and she looked up at him through dark eyes. Her face was tear-stained; her mascara trailing down her face in a way that made Miles want to curl up into a ball and forget about the world.

"But you see… Perhaps if I had been less of a coward, then he might have been with me that day. We wouldn't have been anywhere near the road, so he wouldn't have been hit… It's all my fault."

The tears started up again, and Miles wondered if he would ever get used to the empty, stabbing feeling in his chest.

"Edgeworth… Miles, it's not your fault. Please… Please don't blame yourself. I… I believe in fate, so I think that Nick was always going to die that day. It's just… I wish it were different…"

The two stood, clutching each other desperately, crying hopelessly for the man they loved.

* * *

Miles cried throughout the entire funeral; thoroughly breaking his promise to Phoenix. He had been the one to give Phoenix's eulogy, and he had found himself stammering the words he had spent so long preparing.

"Phoenix Wright… was an extraordinary man. He believed in the power of justice, and never rested until his innocent clients were free from their inequitable punishments. If one of his clients said that they were innocent, then he would never doubt them; trusting them until the end. His strength and bravery as an individual made the world we live in a safer place.

"But Phoenix was not only a great lawyer. He was a fantastic friend, and I am honoured to have known him. He saved my life many times, and I would surely not be the person I am today without his gentle guidance. He touched the lives of those he meet, and I doubt that anyone will be able to forget his quiet charm.

"I know that I will miss Phoenix until the day that I die. He was a great friend who didn't stop at anything to help someone through a dark place in their lives; including myself. Phoenix, if you're listening, then I… I want you to know that… I won't ever forget you. You made my world bearable to live in, and the only time I ever smiled was when I was with you."

When everybody had left the funeral with dull murmurs of "_Your eulogy was beautiful, I'm so sorry_", Miles found himself staring out of the church window glumly. It had been a long day, and he wanted nothing more than to curl up in his bed and, once again, sob his heart out.

"What are you going to do now?" Maya asked from her position on one of the church pews.

Miles turned around, and attempted to give Maya a watery smile. "What I always do. Get on with life."

Maya frowned to herself; on the verge of tears once more. "You can't just… move on! How can you do that to Phoenix? It seems so cruel!"

Miles slammed his hand down on the small table next to him, anger taking over. "Do you think that I _want _to go back to work? Do you think that I _want _to pretend that I'm not breaking on the inside? Of course I'm hurting, but I live in the real world, Maya. People in this world don't care if you've lost someone you love. All they care about is whether you can do your bloody job or not. I can't afford to lose anything else."

Maya was silent, her expressive eyes large in fear. "I'm… I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking."

"No, I'm sorry." Miles sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I'm just… not myself at the moment. I've never been this emotional before, and I'm not too sure how I'm supposed to carry on. Everything would have been a lot easier if only Phoenix had known the truth."

Maya was silent for another few seconds, but, just as Miles was going to apologize again for snapping, she spoke up.

"I'm not sure if it would work, but I can try and channel Nick, if you wanted. Then you could tell him how you feel." she said slowly.

Miles felt his heart start racing - the first time in a week that he had felt alive.

"Would you try?" he asked her hopefully. "Please?"

Maya nodded her head. "You might want to go to the bathroom or something, you know, to clean your face. It might take a while."

Miles nodded his head, and it was all it took for him not to sweep Maya up into a hug.

_Phoenix… I'll finally be able to tell you the truth. It's not too late. Oh, Phoenix…_

He strode into the large church bathroom, and walked over to the mirror, watching himself with his always-critical eyes. His silver hair was messy; tousled at bizarre angles. His grey eyes were wet and dull; red with all the tears he had shed.

When Miles looked at himself, all he saw were different shades of the same colour; grey. Perhaps the colour defined him - expressing his incessant mood - though he wasn't sure that he liked being characterized by such a lifeless, lackluster tone.

Miles attempted a smile in the large mirror, and the gentle curve of his lips seemed foreign on his glum face. But perhaps he wouldn't need to smile; perhaps Phoenix would express his desires to never _ever _see Miles again.

The thought made Miles squirm. _Would _Phoenix be mad? Would he insist that it really _was _Miles' fault? What if he refused to talk?

_What if he hates me…? I don't think I could cope with that. Is it better if I simply leave things as they are now? With me not knowing if Phoenix hates me or not? Could I do that? _

With a sick, heavy feeling in the pit of his stomach, Miles strode outside of the restroom, and into the large space of the church.

"Maya, actually, I don't think I want-"

But then Miles stopped. Because, where he had left Maya standing, was the body of a man. A tall man with dark hair and a scruffy suit.

_Phoenix…_

Ignoring all of the doubts that he had about their meeting, Miles started running. He wanted desperately to collapse into Phoenix's arms - to be assured that everything he had done - everything he could have avoided - meant nothing anymore.

The sound of his heavy footsteps on the polished wooden floor caused Phoenix to turn around. His face lit up with surprise, and he simply stood there - a lopsided grin on his handsome face.

"Miles…"

Finally, the space between the two was gone, and Miles threw his arms around Phoenix's neck; burying his face in his friend's shoulder. It was a strong hug - one that whispered secrets of _I'm never letting you go._

"I… Phoenix, I'm so glad to see you." Miles murmured, his voice broken with emotion. "And I wanted to tell you that I'm sorry. I'm so, _so_ sorry."

_Phoenix, I love you. I truly do. Don't leave me._

Phoenix pulled away from Miles, concern written in the soft lines of his face. "What's wrong? Why are you sorry?" Gently, he ran his thumb along Miles' lower eyelids - gathering up the tears that Miles had promised he wasn't going to cry.

"That day… three weeks ago."

Phoenix smiled again, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Oh. That. Look, I'm the one who should be sorry. I realise now how horrifying it must have been for you to realise that your best friend was completely in love with you."

Miles shook his head; his fingers drifting down to clutch at Phoenix's slim hips. "No, Phoenix. You don't understand. I… I didn't tell you the truth that day. Because, the truth is that I love you. I loved you then, and I love you now. But when you confessed, it took me by surprise. I was… too scared to say anything back.

"It seems silly now, I know, because I had nothing to lose, while you had everything. That's why… I decided that I was going to tell you the truth. I made my mind up a few hours before… before you died. I'm so sorry that I didn't tell you I love you too. Because, maybe, if I had been honest, then you would have been with me. Maybe you wouldn't have been anywhere near the road. It's my fault that you died…" Again, Miles buried his face into Phoenix's shoulder; too ashamed to meet his friend's eyes.

Phoenix was silent.

_Are you annoyed at me for lying to you?_

"Miles, please don't blame yourself." Phoenix finally said, his voice slow. "I know you, and I know that you know that it's not your fault. How could it be? Just because you _possibly _would have been with me? What if you had? Would we both have been hit by the car? Would we both have died?"

Miles shook his head. "No, you might have been in my office with me. Then you wouldn't have been anywhere near the road."

Phoenix raised an eyebrow. "Are you determined to make this thing your fault? It's really not, Miles. Please… Just, don't. It hurts me to see you like this."

Miles gave a weak smile, and raised his tear-stained face to watch Phoenix. "Phoenix, I love you. I truly do. Thank you for… for forgiving me."

Phoenix smiled. "You don't know what it means to me to hear you say that." Slowly, he tilted his head to the side to gently press his lips against Miles.

The sudden contact came as a surprise to Miles, and yet he found himself pushing against Phoenix's lips in a fervent attempt to get closer. He'd never had much experience - much less _interest _- in physical contact of this intensity, but Phoenix tasted absolutely delicious, and he wondered how he had ever lived otherwise.

His arms were still thrown around Phoenix's neck - holding on tightly because he was sure that, if he were to let go, then he would fall. Phoenix had snaked his arms around Miles' waist, his fingertips resting perilously low on the skin of the prosecutor's hips.

Phoenix's lips were magical, Miles realised. They were leaving _burning _trails of fire in their wake as they pressed delicate butterfly kisses to Miles' jaw; trailing up in down in such a way that made tremors run down Miles' spine. He'd never been kissed with such passion before, and the feeling of _I want you now, I don't want this to ever end _emanating from Phoenix's body made Miles' head spin.

Miles' fingers were running through Phoenix's permanently spiky hair; still marveling in the feel of the beautiful defence attorney beneath his fingertips. He couldn't believe what he was doing; kissing the man he loved for the very first time.

He was overcome with the type of emotion he never thought he would feel; though, this time, it wasn't a miserable, lonely type of emotion. He felt happy, and he couldn't believe this luck.

Finally, the two men parted; a breath was necessary.

"Phoenix… That was…" Miles murmured, breathing heavily. "Wow… I was worried… That you would hate me."

Phoenix's eyebrows furrowed. "Why would you possibly think that? I love you. Always have, always will."

Miles smiled back - no longer a foreign illustration of emotion on his face, but, instead, completely and utterly recognizable. "Do you think that Maya will mind if I'm constantly asking her to channel you?"

Surprisingly, Phoenix's face fell. He glanced down at the ground; refusing to make eye contact. "Um, Miles… The thing is… Maya can't channel me after this."

Miles paused, his fingers loosening from their grip on Phoenix's hair. "What are you saying…? What… What are you trying to tell me?"

Phoenix glanced up, and Miles was surprised at the emotion within his deep orbs. "Maya can't channel me after this. She's simply not strong enough. I'm a male, so her body had to change drastically to fit mine. It's not healthy."

"But her mother…Misty, I think it was, channeled my father." Miles said, desperate to keep the man in front of him from disappearing forever. "So, surely, it's fine."

Phoenix frowned, and bit his lower lip slightly. "Yes, but that was only once. Eventually… channeling me would kill Maya. And I can't let that happen."

Miles wanted to shout _that's not important, she's not important, don't let her get in the middle of us, please, Phoenix, _but he knew, in his heart, that their first meeting as lovers was also their last.

"Are you telling me that I'm never going to see you again?" Miles asked, his dull voice barely over a whisper.

"…Yes. This is the last time we're ever going to meet." Phoenix finished, eyes glistening with tears he didn't want to let fall.

"No!" Miles shouted, surprising himself with his volume. "You can't leave me! Not now… Not after everything we've said…"

Miles waited for the never-ending stream of tears to cascade down his face; yet they never came. Perhaps he had already shed all of his tears; tears lost in his endless grief and agony leaving nothing left for, perhaps, the most important moment of his entire life.

_Saying goodbye to you will be… the most important and most difficult moment of my entire life, Phoenix._

So, instead, he remained despondently stoic; his face tense and his voice tight; conveying his emotions in a more subtle, yet completely brazen way.

"I don't want you to go."

"I'm sorry, Miles." Phoenix murmured, a single tear escaping and rolling down his face. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I never wanted to hurt you. I'm so sorry."

In response to Phoenix's sorrowful speech - his broken voice delivering such heart-wrenching words - Miles gripped Phoenix's shirt and pulled his forwards. He pushed their lips together once more; delicately, this time, because he wanted to let Phoenix know that _it's okay, I know you never wanted to hurt me and I will never blame you, let's spend our last minutes together, because that's the way it was meant to be._

Their last kiss was fairytale-like; beautiful and emotional, tear-jerking and full of promises. Gentle lips were moistened by salty tears; trembling fingers tracing meaningless patterns into soft skin. Bodies were drawn close; never wanting to let go, but knowing that the end was near.

At long last, Miles broke the kiss. "How… How long have we got?" he asked, almost breathless with fear.

Phoenix opened his mouth, then closed it and swallowed. "Ten minutes."

Miles' fists clenched. "Ten minutes… and then that's it? I'm never going to see you again?" Though his grey eyes remained frustratingly dry, Miles sobbed into Phoenix's shoulder, overcome with the feeling of loneliness one feels in the midst of a group of people.

"Hey, now. At least we had the chance to meet again, right?" Phoenix commented quietly - forever optimistic.

Miles offered a weak smile. "I suppose so. Though, now, I'm left wondering what kind of life we could have had, if only I had been brave enough."

_I thought I'd found you again, Phoenix. But now you're leaving, and it's going to be so much harder to let you go. Because you're not just my best friend, my support, my savior; you're my everything._

He felt Phoenix's fingers running through his silken hair; subconsciously comforting him and letting him know that _everything is okay. _"Perhaps. But maybe our life together would have been horrible. Perhaps we would have argued over everything. Perhaps we'd break up and regret ever taking that step."

But both men knew that was untrue.

Miles said nothing, but instead bent down and kissed Phoenix's neck. "I love you, Phoenix. Please don't ever forget that."

"I love you too. And remember that it's not your fault. I don't blame you, and never will."

The two kissed again - desperately this time, because this was their last chance until everything vanished, leaving in its place, the dark uncertainty of the future.

Finally, Phoenix broke the kiss, and reached up to stroke Miles' cheek. "Ten minutes… it's up. It's time for me to go now."

"Don't leave me!" Miles said desperately; the last of his tears finally falling from his eyes.

Phoenix looked absolutely heartbroken at the sight of the broken prosecutor. "Miles… Please… for me. Have a nice life. Please, just… Make sure you learn to love again."

And then he was gone, leaving Maya standing in Miles' arms.

_You're… You're gone. _

_I'm alone._

Without thinking, Miles pushed Maya violently - causing her to stumble backwards - and covered his face with his hands.

"No, Phoenix! You can't leave me!" His shoulders were shaking with vehement sobs; his body convulsing as he realised that _it is over_.

Silently, Maya - oh, Maya; brave, beautiful Maya who had lost everything too - placed her hand on his shoulder; noiselessly telling him that it was okay to cry.

After a few minutes of sobbing, Miles glanced upwards, and saw himself reflected in Maya's dark eyes.

_I can't cry for the rest of my days. I have to get on with my life. It's…._

_It's what Phoenix would have wanted._


End file.
